SUNDANCE FILM FESTIVAL – "In the Summers," the feature debut of Alessandra Lacorazza, depicts the complex dynamics of parent-child relationships against the backdrop of Las Cruces, New Mexico. After a long absence, René Pérez Joglar's character Vincente reconnects with his daughters Violeta and Eva. The characters in the movie struggle with their past traumas and current realities as it works through the difficulties of remembering and forgiveness. Lacorazza depicts Vincente's battles with addiction and the divisions they cause in his family with delicacy. As summer months go by, the once-promising house deteriorates along with the characters' expectations and hopes, highlighting the price of unsolved problems.
The complexities of familial friction and the desire for reconciliation are captured in "In the Summers" through nuanced acting and beautiful cinematography. After all of the disappointment and abuse they endured, Vincente's daughters greet his attempts at redemption with a lack of confidence. Themes of acceptance and resiliency surface as the story progresses, entwined with the individuals' changing relationships and identities. Lacorazza's methodical pacing reflects the slow process of past traumas coming to light and the hesitant steps taken in the direction of healing, ultimately raising important concerns about the nature of forgiveness and the prospect of redemption in the midst of broken relationships.